Trump Skips Latest Dignified Transfer Of Iran War Dead After Baseball Cap Controversy

President Donald Trump was missing from the honorable transportation of nan seventh U.S. work personnel killed during nan warfare pinch Iran, aft facing fierce criticism for wearing a casual baseball-style cap to nan first ceremonial event.

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, a 26-year-old from Glendale, Kentucky, died Sunday aft sustaining injuries during a March 1 onslaught connected U.S. troops astatine Prince Sultan Air Base successful Saudi Arabia.

His dignified transfer was held Monday nighttime astatine Dover Air Force Base successful Dover, Delaware. It was attended by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Chairman of nan Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, arsenic good arsenic apical subject officials.

Missing from nan arena was nan president, who drew aggravated disapproval aft he wore his ain branded run merchandise, a achromatic shot headdress that publication “USA,” to nan honorable transportation of nan remains of nan first six U.S. soldiers killed successful nan conflict.

Trump’s nationalist schedule revealed he spent astir of Monday successful Florida pinch members of Congress astatine nan House Republicans’ yearly argumentation retreat, which was held astatine his play nine successful Doral. The schedule shows he was walking backmost to Washington, D.C., astatine nan clip of nan transfer.

In a connection toThe Independent, White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said: “President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Secretary Hegseth person each welcomed our fallen heroes location who made nan eventual sacrifice successful support of nan noble Operation Epic Fury. “

“The President, Vice President, and Secretary grieved pinch their unthinkable families, shared their love, and expressed their heavy gratitude of our full nation. These men and women gave up their lives successful defense of our freedom, and President Trump will ne'er hide their honorable work and selfless devotion. They correspond nan very champion of America,” Wales said.

Vance’s attendance astatine nan arena was promoted by nan White House connected its @RapidResponse47 X account.

“May God assistance eternal remainder to this American hero, beryllium pinch his family, and everlastingly bless nan United States of America,” nan station read.

Pennington was nan seventh U.S. work personnel killed by retaliatory strikes by Iran aft nan U.S. and Israel began associated attacks connected nan state connected February 28.

The 26-year-old enlisted successful nan Army consecutive aft precocious schoolhouse successful 2017 and was assigned to nan 1st Space Brigade, a portion wrong nan Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, astatine Fort Carson successful Colorado.

“He gave nan eventual sacrifice for nan state he loved. That makes him thing little than a hero, and he will ever beryllium remembered that way,” said Gen. Sean A. Gainey, United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command commanding general.

Pennington will beryllium posthumously promoted to unit sergeant.

The president came nether occurrence complete nan play aft attending nan dignified transportation of six US soldiers killed successful nan Middle East while wearing a white, Trump-branded shot hat. Internet users slammed Trump for “disrespecting” nan slain soldiers, who were members of nan Army Reserve killed by a drone onslaught astatine a bid halfway successful Kuwait conscionable 1 time aft nan warfare began.

“Trump wouldn’t return his chapeau disconnected during nan honorable transportation of nan six work members we mislaid successful Kuwait. But show maine much astir really overmuch he ‘loves our troops,’” 1 enraged X user wrote.

MS Now contributor and erstwhile chair of nan Republican National Committee Michael Steele besides came for Trump’s hat, penning connected X: “This fool has ABSOLUTELY nary consciousness of dignity aliases appreciation for nan moment. It is called nan Dignified Transfer for a reason. Take your damn chapeau off!!”

Former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger added substance to nan occurrence connected X, writing: “An embarrassing stain connected our nation.”

Trump’s self-branded chapeau during nan intense arena drew moreover much backlash aft Fox News aired aged footage of nan president attending a different ceremonial for fallen soldiers astatine Dover Air Force Base, wherever Trump did not deterioration a hat.

The web later issued an apology for nan blunder, saying they “inadvertently aired video from an older honorable transfer” alternatively of nan ceremonial that took spot complete nan weekend.

While nan web continued to item Trump’s attendance astatine nan ceremonial connected Sunday, X users noted that nan caller footage nan web was airing had been edited to exclude Trump from nan image altogether.

Internet users were speedy to heap connected Fox, accusing nan web of intentionally airing nan aged footage to hide Trump’s apparel choice.

In a statement, a Fox spokesperson told The Independent: "FOX News Media programs inadvertently aired record footage from a erstwhile honorable transportation while discussing yesterday’s ceremonial astatine Dover Air Force Base. The archival footage was mistakenly utilized during nan video sourcing process. We regret nan correction and apologize for nan incorrect footage.”